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Thursday, March 01, 2012

File under: "For what will it profit a man..."

"... if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?", from the conclusion to an intriguing Hollywood Reporter article, "Whatever Happened To Ted Turner?":

Today, without Fonda, on some deep level Turner is alone — no matter his numerous loyalists, four girlfriends and dizzying accomplishments. It’s something he regrets, and that perhaps feeds his insecurity, evidence of which comes and goes throughout our conversation.

He constantly blurts out such things as, "I pushed up against the limits of what a human being could do. And look at my accomplishments. I mean, I won the America’s Cup; I won the World Series; I think I won over 1,200 prizes. I have 46 honorary degrees."

"He is very insecure,” Johnson confides. “After he was named something like Time’s man of the year, he held up the magazine in front of several people and said, ‘See, Dad, I made it after all!'"

It’s been nearly 50 years since his father died, and now Turner is starting to contemplate his own mortality. His daughter Laura says he speaks frequently of his funeral, repeatedly changing the plans — he’s talked of having Willie Nelson sing “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” or having his ashes scattered over his properties or being laid out Native American-style and “having the birds pick the skin from his bones.”

"Most super-achievers don’t make it to 73,” Turner reflects. Once virulently anti-religious, doubt rather than certainty defines his thinking now. He calls himself “a little bit religious — that says it pretty well. But I’d like to think there’s somebody looking after us."

Here is the entire article. Turner's business accomplishments are immense (he essentially invented cable television and 24-hour news). His wealth is still immense ($2 billion; he was once worth five times as much). He has been married three times. He owns 28 homes and 55,000 bison. He has four girlfriends (take that, Hugh Hefner!). And he comes off as lonely, unhappy, and without any sense of what it is all about. Here's hoping that he allows the Hound of Heaven to chase him down.

Does anyone know if Turner is actively taking steps to amend? I mean are his previous marriages being annulled? Is his money now not going to support Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion organizations? I'll believe he has repented when he is admitted into Heaven.